A scientist put red blood cells in water that contained salt. Over time, the red blood cells burst. What is most likely true?

Question

The concentration of water inside the cell was greater than in the salt water.
There was a higher concentration of salt in the water than in the cells.
There was a lower concentration of salt in the water than in the cells.
The concentration of water in the cells and salt water were equal.

Answer 1

The most likely true statement is:

There was a lower concentration of salt in the water than in the cells.

This scenario describes a situation of osmosis. When red blood cells are placed in a hypotonic solution (which has a lower concentration of solutes, in this case salt, compared to the inside of the cells), water will move into the cells to balance the concentration of solutes. As water enters the cells, the internal pressure increases, which can lead to the cells bursting (a process known as hemolysis).